Brown v. Liebert Corporation, Unpublished Decision (2-24-2004)
Brown v. Liebert Corporation, Unpublished Decision (2-24-2004)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
{¶ 1} Plaintiff-appellant John Joseph Brown (hereinafter "appellant") appeals from the decision and judgment entry of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas granting summary judgment in favor of defendant-appellee Liebert Corporation (hereinafter "appellee"). For the reasons which follow, we affirm.{¶ 2} Appellant filed a workers' compensation claim against appellee, which was denied by the district hearing officer (hereinafter "DHO"). Appellant appealed the DHO's order, however, the staff hearing officer (hereinafter "SHO") affirmed the order. Appellant appealed the SHO's order. The Industrial Commission of Ohio (hereinafter "commission") refused his appeal on October 3, 2002 (hereinafter "October 3, 2002 order").
{¶ 3} On October 10, 2002, appellant filed a complaint with the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Appellant listed appellee, the commission and C.A. Sullivan, and the Bureau of Workers' Compensation (hereinafter "BWC") as defendants. C.A. Sullivan is a SHO.
{¶ 4} On December 23, 2002, appellee filed its motion for summary judgment. On April 30, 2003, the trial court granted appellee's motion for summary judgment. The trial court concluded appellant failed to file a notice of appeal as required by R.C.
{¶ 5} Appellant timely filed the instant appeal and asserts the following assignment of error:
The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas committed reversible error in granting liebert's motion for summary judgment.
{¶ 6} Appellate review of summary judgment motions is de novo. Helton v. Scioto Cty. Bd. of Commrs. (1997),
{¶ 7} Further, when a motion for summary judgment has been supported by proper evidence, the nonmoving party may not rest on the mere allegations of the pleading, but must set forth specific facts, by affidavit or otherwise, demonstrating that there is a genuine triable issue. Jackson v. Alert Fire Safety Equip.,Inc. (1991),
{¶ 8} R.C.
The appellant shall file the notice of appeal with a court of common pleas within sixty days after the date of the receipt of the order appealed from or the date of receipt of the order of the commission refusing to hear an appeal of a staff hearing officer's decision under division (D) of section
{¶ 9} The requirement that the notice of appeal be timely filed with the appropriate court of common pleas is jurisdictional. Day v. Noah's Ark Learning Center, Delaware App. No. 01-CVE-12-068, 2002-Ohio-4245, ¶ 11, citing Gdovichinv. Geauga Cty. Hwy. Dept. (1993),
{¶ 10} Moreover, R.C.
{¶ 11} The Ohio Supreme Court held the "jurisdictional requirements of R.C. [
Substantial compliance for jurisdictional purposes occurs when a timely notice of appeal filed pursuant to R.C. [
Id. at paragraph two of the syllabus. However, the filing of a complaint cannot substitute for the filing of a separate notice of appeal. Gdovichin, supra, at 808.
{¶ 12} Upon review, the trial court properly granted judgment in favor of appellee. Appellant filed a complaint instead of a timely filed notice of appeal as required by R.C.
{¶ 13} Therefore, appellant's sole assignment of error is overruled, and the judgment of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
Bowman and Brown, JJ., concur.
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